Specialist Skills Company-specific skills Meeting the skill requirements of the company either on recruitment or on-the-job, being prepared to adapt and learn new skills to meet future “commercial” needs Specialist knowledge e.g. product or market knowledge; specialist skills e.g. IT packages; unique language skills e.g. Chinese; specialist interpersonal skills e.g. public speaker. Technical skills / knowledge An understanding of basic principles rather than large stocks of specialist knowledge. Professional, sector-based or functional skills e.g. journalism, research, aerospace engineering, tax accounting, counselling, creative design, economist, personnel, sales, marketing. Understanding commercial goals of company An understanding of the values of the company or organization; and the need to balance needs of shareholders / owners with the needs of the market or individual. Specialist understanding of an organisations goals, priorities and future direction (combination of self-reliance, business acumen and people skills). People Skills Team working The ability to work effectively in teams, often more than one team at once; and to be able to re-adjust roles from one project situation to another in an ever-shifting work situation. Supportive, facilitator, organised, coordinator, deliverer, imaginative, delegator, open- minded. Leadership The ability to take control of a situation and to lead by empowering others to follow. Having the vision and innovation to move forward. Dynamic, motivator, team-builder, confidence booster, energetic, capable, outward-looking, accountable, visionary Interpersonal skills The ability to relate to, and feel comfortable with, people at all levels and to be able to make and maintain relationships as circumstances change. Listener, adviser, counsellor, politically aware, initiator, professional, co-operative, constructive, assertive. Customer orientation The ability to establish a confident and flexible relationship with people important to the employer or company. Welcoming, friendly, caring, approachable, constructive, accommodating, tactful, diplomatic, tolerant. Oral / written communication The ability to communicate, formally and informally, verbally and in the written form, with a wide range of people both internal and external to the organisation. Educator, trainer, communicator, presenter, promoter, influencer, humorous, empathetic, telephone skills Cultural Awareness The ability to speak, write, understand more than one language; valuing languages; awareness of other cultures and how they impact upon career decisions and / or work environment: Specific language skills, cultural awareness, international experience, written and oral expertise, sensitivity Self-Reliance Self-awareness / confidence Self-confidence, self-awareness, self-belief, self-direction self-sufficiency, and self-promotion. Purposeful, focused, reflective, perceptive, honest, objective, realistic, balanced Self-promotion skills The ability to advertise your own agenda and publicise personal strengths by selling real benefits to someone else. Positive, persuasive, pleasant, proactive, persistent, ambitious, opportunistic, promoter Initiative, proactivity, self motivation Being a self-starter, resilient, tenacious and determined. Resourceful, energetic, drive, flexible, self-starter, self- reliant, initiative, self-disciplined Networking skills For successful personal development, it is vital to build contacts throughout your working life. The process of finding people who are ready, willing and able to help you is the basis of this skill. Initiator, trustful, personable, relationship-builder, persistent developer, resourceful, respected Willing to learn The ability to learn and continue learning throughout life. Motivated, adaptable, enthusiastic, active, keen learner, inquisitive, continual improver Action planning and self-regulatory skills Self discipline, time-keeping, the ability to deal with stress, to plan and prioritise your workload and to “juggle” several tasks at once. Decision-maker, planner, organised, negotiator, responsive, evaluator, forward thinker, target driven, able to prioritise. Generalist Skills Problem-solving / intellectual skills The ability to analyse, critique and synthesise information in order to solve problems. Achiever, successful, results-orientated, project management, creative, practical, logical, astute, agile mind IT / computer literacy The ability to accept, learn and adapt to new technology and make the most of the opportunities it presents. IT skills, software packages, common sense, task-orientated, progressive, specific, office skills, keyboard skills, electronic communication e.g. internet, email, fax Flexibility and adaptability The ability to respond to change, to pre-empt change and ultimately to lead change. Understanding of work based culture. Multi-disciplinary, flexible, versatile, multi-skilled, willing, obliging, mobile, adaptable Numeracy skills The ability to handle numbers includes basic maths skills of addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, an understanding of percentages, gathering statistical data in various formats and being able to analyse, interpret and present them in a clear and accurate way. Accurate, logical, problem-solver, detailed, methodical, consistent, quick thinker, analytical, thorough Business acumen Use, observe and develop skills appropriate for a commercial environment. Being an innovator, and a professional with effective marketing and communication skills. Competitive, entrepreneurial, enterprising, commercial, foresight, budgeter, risk- taker, effective written communication e.g. reports, business letters, effective documentation. Commitment Showing an interest and dedication to a topic, subject, value or activity etc. Dedicated, trustworthy, conscientious, reliable, loyal, punctual, knowledgeable, experienced Need more help? Just ASK! Call in for initial advice at a Help Zone “Drop In” in Student Services, who will refer you to a career specialist if required:- City North Campus, First Floor Baker Building City Centre Campus, Gosta Green, Room G27 City South Campus, Second Floor Seacole Building Millennium Point: Ask at Reception Telephone 0121 3315588 or visit our web pages for dates and times of Drop Ins and services at other sites. Careers and Job Prospects websites: https://icity.bcu.ac.uk/careers www.bcu.ac.uk/alumni/careers Online e-guidance service: www.bcu.ac.uk/askus Social Media: Facebook: BCUemploymentzone Twitter: @employmentzone View our full range of leaflets online: https://icity.bcu.ac.uk/careers >> Quick Link >> Handouts Careers and Job Prospects, August 2011 Making Yourself Employable Hit the ground running In today‟s graduate market a degree on its own is not usually enough to convince employers that you are worthy of a job. A CBI/EDI annual Education & Skills survey carried out in 2011, interviewed 566 Directors to gain their views on how satisfied they were with the skills of graduates . Here is how they ranked the skills they were satisfied with: 1. Use of IT 2. Basic numeracy skills 3. Positive attitude to work 4. Basic literacy/use of English 5. Problem Solving 6. Team working 7. Knowledge about chosen profession 8. Self-management 9. Relevant work experience 10. Business/Customer awareness When asked to rate „employability skills‟ compared to the specific occupational, technical or academic knowledge and skills associated with their degree, 82% of graduate employers placed more importance on employability skills (Source: The CBI/EDI Education & Skills, May 2011). “21 st century graduates need to demonstrate to employers that they can „hit the ground running‟. In addition to working hard to gain a good degree, students should engage in extra curricular activities and obtain work experience in order to develop skills that will make them better prepared for the world of work” Carl Gilleard Chief Executive, Association of Graduate Recruiters